KENDRA CONNOCK
BCOM is a band of young musicians from UP who are trying to make a difference in the South African music industry. Inspired by the writing style of Hunter Kennedy (Die Heuwels Fantasties) and the unique jazz-rock sound of Stellenbosch-based band Uncle Spike, BCOM is producing a new sound for the South African listener; something that hasn’t been seen on our music scene before.
When asked to describe their musical style in three words, the boys from BCOM opt for a simple explanation of “very very niiccee”. There are no airs and graces here, only passion for crafting music that can be enjoyed by all South African youths. The focus of this band is on forging a new path within our country’s music industry, a path that leads away from what they describe to be the “cliché, uninspired, and money-driven Afrikaans pop music scene”. Their weapons for dismantling this system? Their voices, their words, and their musical instruments. At any moment in their music, listeners are able to identify a plethora of well-blended instruments and genres; guitars and ukuleles are layered with harmonica melodies producing foot-stomping, head-bopping tunes that are a delight to listeners. The band hopes to make its music available on streaming services such as Spotify, Apple Music, and Youtube soon; but until then PDBY encourages you to keep an eye on the band’s Instagram page (@bcom_band) for upcoming gigs and swing by one of their shows to get a taste of their music for yourselves.
“Our continued support of our fellow students could see them progress from fan favourites at Aandklas, to taking the stage at South Africa’s music festivals“
The band is not only an escape from the demands of university life, but it’s a genuine priority to these guys. They view their music as its own form of academics, and emphasised to PDBY that they have their eyes fixed firmly on making their musical endeavours a success; going so far as to say that their goal for the next few years would be to become world-famous. Before they can reach the level of becoming world-famous, BCOM relies on the community of students in Pretoria to support them at their local shows at Aandklas and other bars in the Hatfield area. Their goals over the next few months are focused on playing more gigs, including hopes of playing at student events and festivals that are almost a rite of passage for student musicians, like Oesdag and Jool. The band has asked that any students who happen to catch them performing at events like these or smaller gigs, would share their music on social media to help other students hear their music. As a part of the greater student community in Pretoria, everyone has the opportunity to support local artists and fellow students who are trying to make their mark on the industry. Going to shows and sharing their music with other people can help spread the word about talented musicians like those in BCOM. Our continued support of our fellow students could see them progress from fan favourites at Aandklas, to taking the stage at South Africa’s music festivals. If BCOM could perform at any one of these festivals, their pick would be Rocking the Daisies; so remember the band’s name if you see them on the festivals’ line-up any time soon..
You can tell a lot about a band by looking at their influences, the people who inspire them to keep creating music. BCOM remains rooted in our country and musical culture, looking to fellow South Africans for inspiration. If there was one song in the history of the world that they wish they’d written, it would be Ode to Sleep by Twenty-One Pilots. They describe the song as a “musical phenomenon” and representative of “everything [they] want to become one day”. What the band admires most about this song is the fluent switches between different genres, as well as lyrics and sound quality which are “simply out of this galaxy”. The influence of this song can be seen in the band’s personal recommendation of one of their songs to listen to if you’ve never heard their music before. The track Specials showcases the band’s ability for musical diversity, both in genre and in use of multiple instruments.
BCOM is a band looking to make their mark on the South African music industry, filling a gap where unique, honest music is needed. Keep an eye on the band’s social media for updates regarding new music and upcoming gigs and make an effort to support our local UP artists – you never know where they might end up.
Image: Provided
I’m Kendra! Coffee addict, cat lover, postgrad student. Usually found reading, napping, or doodling.
